[DESCRIPTION]
[Invention Title]
MANUFACTURING METHOD OF WINDOW FOR DISPLAY DEVICE, WINDOW FOR DISPLAY DEVICE AND WIRELESS TERMINAL UNIT COMPRISING THE SAME
[Technical Field]
The following description relates generally to manufacturing method of window for display device, window for display device and wireless terminal unit comprising the same.
[Background Art]
Wireless terminal units (hereinafter referred to as terminals) are typically disposed with display devices, including, for example, a liquid crystal and an ELED (Edge-emitting Light Emitting Diode (ELED), where windows are generally employed to protect the display devices. The conventional windows employ synthetic resin substrates made of acryl resin, PC (Poly Carbonate) or PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate). Concomitant with the recent trends of the terminals being miniaturized and slimmed, the windows have gradually decreased in thickness thereof.
However, if the synthetic resin substrate is thinned, its strength decreases due to characteristic property to provide the display devices with insufficient protection against outside shock. The synthetic resin substrate has another shortcoming in that surface harness is inferior to be susceptible to scratch.
In order to solve the aforementioned shortcomings, attempts have been made to employ for windows glasses such as reinforced glass instead of synthetic resin substrate. However, there arises another problem when adopting glass as windows in that the glass may scatter to pieces to have a fatal damage to the display devices when a shock beyond a critical level is applied, and therefore may inflict an injury on a user.
In order to solve the problems, attempts have been made to coat a scatter-proof agent or attach a scatter-proof film or attach double-sided tapes or duct tapes, adhesives on a
front surface or a rear surface of the glass.
The windows that are equipped with the aforementioned gimmicks have the following shortcomings.
First, ongoing trend requires various decorations on windows, whereas direct decorations on windows would pose considerably difficult problems over those on the synthetic resin substrates.
Second, air bubbles that may be generated in the course of adhering process are difficult to be removed from the glass when double-sided tapes or instant adhesives are used as a means of scatter-proof film and adhesion method of the glass only to generate refraction and diffraction of light, thereby resulting in creation of unstable images and exposed air bubbles to remarkably degrade the quality of the windows.
[Disclosure]
[Technical Problem]
In order to overcome the aforesaid shortcomings, the present inventor has tried to attach decorated synthetic resin substrates and glasses with UV (Ultraviolet)-adhesives. However, there still remains a problem of the air bubbles not being sufficiently removed even though the synthetic resin substrates and glasses are adhered with UV-adhesives. In order to solve this problem, another attempt has been made, albeit with difficulty, for removing the air bubbles through a method in which a pressure-reduction device was used to remove the air bubbles, the decorated synthetic resin substrates and glasses with UV (Ultraviolet)-adhesives were pressed and adhered, which obtained a somewhat satisfactory result.
There arose another shortcoming of generating additional air bubbles in the course of irradiating UV and curing processes, and the pressure-reducing and adhering processes were found to decidedly decrease the productivity and to provide no competitiveness at all in terms of unit price, such that the attempt to use this method was dropped.
In other words, in order to perform the pressure-reducing and adhering processes, it is not simple in an automated process to put and bond the glass, the synthetic resin substrate and the UV adhesive in an air-tight vacuum or semi-vacuum space (i.e.,
vacuum chamber) and take out the window. Another disadvantage is that it takes too long to prepare a vacuum state, and a limited space in the vacuum chamber makes it impossible to manufacture a large quantity of windows, inevitably increasing the manufacturing cost.
The present invention is disclosed to solve the aforementioned disadvantages, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a window and a window manufacturing method capable of facilitating an easy application of decoration to the window and mass-producing the windows within a short period time by easily removing air bubbles that are generated in the course of UV-bonding synthetic resin substrate and glass.
[Technical Solution]
In one general aspect, a window for display device is characterized by: a synthetic resin substrate partially formed at least on either an upper surface or a bottom surface thereof with a decoration layer; and a glass bonded to the upper surface or the bottom surface of the synthetic resin substrate by a UV-adhesive, wherein the synthetic resin substrate is entirely or partially cut at an edge that meets a surface bonded to the glass and a sidewall to form a gas removal promoter for promoting the removal of gas during the bondage.
Implementations of this aspect may include one or more of the following features.
The decoration layer is formed at least by one of the methods including a vapor deposition method or a printing method.
The gas removal promoter is cut straightly or curvedly at the edge of the synthetic resin substrate.
The gas removal promoter is formed within one to three directions out of four directions of a circumference of the synthetic resin substrate.
The glass is also formed with a gas removal promoter at a position corresponding to that of the gas removal promoter at the synthetic resin substrate.
The window has a slim total thickness in the range of 0.4 ~ 2.0mm.
The gas removal promoter is formed by a cut of the edge in the following numerical scopes of 'A' (a length cut at the bonded surface between the synthetic resin substrate and the glass) being in the range of 0.05 ~ 0.085mm and 'B' (a length cut at a sidewall of the synthetic resin substrate) being in the range of 0.05 ~ 0.4mm.
The glass is a reinforced glass.
The window is manufactured in such a manner that a roll press is used to roll press the glass to the synthetic resin substrate using a UV-adhesive, allowing air to be discharged to and removed by the gas removal promoter.
In another general aspect, a wireless terminal unit comprising the window for display device is provided.
In still another general aspect, a manufacturing method of window for display device is characterized by: coating a UV-adhesive to a glass; positioning a synthetic resin substrate on the UV-adhesive coated glass; passing the synthetic resin substrate through a roll press to gradually press from a first end region of the synthetic resin substrate to a last end region of the synthetic resin substrate and to remove gas; and irradiating UV light to cure the UV-adhesive.
Implementations of this aspect may include one or more of the following features.
A front surface or a rear surface of the synthetic resin substrate is decorated by at least one of the vapor deposition method or a printing method.
The step of coating the UV-adhesive on the glass comprises dispersedly coating a part of region where the synthetic resin substrate is bonded out of bonded surface of the glass by a dispersion coating unit.
Furthermore, the dispersed coating of the UV-adhesive is tapered off from the first end region of the synthetic resin substrate to the last end region of the synthetic resin substrate.
The synthetic resin substrate is partially or entirely cut at an edge where the glass is bonded with a surface and a sidewall of the synthetic resin substrate, wherein the edge is positioned with a gas removal promoter facilitating the removal of the gas.
The gas removal promoter is formed by cutting the edge in the straight or curved fashion.
The gas removal promoter is formed at a distal end of the synthetic resin substrate or at the distal end and both ends of the synthetic resin substrate.
The gas removal promoter is formed by a cut of the edge in the following numerical scopes of 'A' (a length cut at the bonded surface between the synthetic resin substrate and the glass) being in the range of 0.05 ~ 0.085mm and 'B' (a length cut at a sidewall of the synthetic resin substrate) being in the range of 0.05 ~ 0.4mm.
The glass is moved by moving means where each step is performed by automated processes.
Each step is performed by an assembly jig that is moved by the moving means and accommodated with a plurality of glasses to enable a plurality of windows to be simultaneously manufactured.
The glass is large enough to accommodate 3 to 100 window-shaped synthetic resin substrates and the window-shaped synthetic resin substrates are cut to pieces following the completion of curing process of the UV-adhesive.
An average manufacturing time of a window is approximately less than 30 seconds.
In still yet another general aspect, a window for display device manufactured by the manufacturing method of window for display device is provided.
In still yet another general aspect, a wireless terminal unit comprising the window for display device is provided.
[Advantageous Effects]
The present invention is disclosed to provide a manufacturing method of window for display device, a window for display device and a wireless terminal unit comprising the same, capable of simply removing air bubbles from synthetic resin substrate and glass in the UV-bonding process to thereby facilitate the mass production in a short period of
time.
[Description of Drawings]
FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate a cross-sectional view of a window for display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG4 illustrates a plan view of a window for display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG5 illustrates a partially enlarged view of a window for display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a window for display device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG7 illustrates a flowchart of a manufacturing method of window for display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a plan view in which an exemplary method for coating UV- adhesive on a glass substrate is shown.
FIG 10 illustrates a schematic view for compressing and removing gas using a roll press.
FIGI l is a schematic view for illustrating a manufacturing method of window for display device according to still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[Best Mode]
Now, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The window for display device according to the present invention includes a synthetic resin substrate (10) partially formed with a decoration layer (11) on either an upper surface or a bottom surface, and a glass (30) bonded to the upper surface or the bottom surface of the synthetic resin substrate with UV (Ultraviolet)-adhesive (20) dispensed. Preferably, the synthetic resin substrate is partially or entirely cut at an edge where the glass is bonded with a surface and a sidewall of the synthetic resin substrate, wherein the edge is positioned with a gas removal promoter (12) facilitating the removal of the gas.
A synthetic resin substrate is compressed with UV-adhesive dispensed for the window for display device according to the present invention, and several attempts to remove air bubbles from the synthetic resin substrate have failed during a long time of bonding
processes.
In the midst of bonding processes, the inventor has discovered by years of hard application that air bubbles are not removed due to obstruction of gas discharge during compression when peripherals of a surface where the synthetic resin substrate and the glass are bonded are brought into contact.
The inventor tried in such a way that the synthetic resin substrate was partially or entirely cut at an edge where the glass was bonded with a surface and a sidewall of the synthetic resin substrate, wherein the edge was formed with a gas removal promoter facilitating the removal of the gas and the synthetic resin substrate and the glass were bonded, whereby it was found that the air bubbles were satisfactorily removed through the gas removal promoter. In doing so, the air bubbles were removed without recourse to reduction in pressure and compression to thereby enable to accomplish an increase in mass production. Particularly, a gradual compression method using a roll press from one distal end of a window to the other distal end of the window has effectively removed the air bubbles with the assistance of the gas removal promoter.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a cross-sectional view of a window for display device included with the glass (30) bonded by the UV-adhesive (20) on the upper surface or the bottom surface of the synthetic resin substrate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, FIG.3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the synthetic resin substrate (10) formed with the gas removal promoter (12), and FIG.4 illustrates a plan view of a window for display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
Preferably, the synthetic resin substrate is partially formed with a decoration layer (11) at least either at an upper surface or a bottom surface. An image display region (1) on the window may not be formed with the decoration layer, or decorated with transparency or opaqueness (semi-transparency) to allow the decoration to be seen when the display device is turned off, or to allow an image to be seen when the display device is turned on.
The decoration method is not particularly limited but the synthetic resin substrate may be deposited with metals and/or oxides, or may be decorated with a conductive deposit or a non-conductive deposit at a predetermined region thereof. A colored decoration may be possible using printing method. Furthermore, the decoration may be performed
in combination with deposit and printing methods.
The material of the synthetic resin substrate is not particularly limited but it may be PC (Polycarbonate), PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) or acrylic resin material but PC material is preferred due to excellence in physical properties and light transparency, and easiness in decoration. The thickness of the synthetic resin substrate (10) is not particularly limited but it is preferred to be in the range of 0.05~0.5mm.
The glass (30) may be limitedly used as long as is known in the art, and reinforced glass may be used. The reinforce glass may be easily obtained from local markets so there is no need to elaborate on the reinforced glass. Although the thickness of the reinforced glass is not restricted, it is preferably in the range of 0.2-1.2mm.
Although UV-adhesives employed in the art may be limitedly used for the UV-adhesive (20), acrylic or epoxy UV-adhesive may be used. The thickness of the UV-adhesive following completion of the adhesion is not particularly restricted but it is preferably in the range of 0.005-0. lmm.
The gas removal promoter (12) is formed on the synthetic resin substrate, and the synthetic resin substrate is partially or entirely cut at an edge where the glass is bonded with a surface and a sidewall of the synthetic resin substrate, wherein the edge is positioned with a gas removal promoter (12). The gas removal promoter (12) is formed at an edge where it is cut straightly, curvedly or in other styles which are not particularly restricted.
Preferably, the gas removal promoter (12) is formed at the entire periphery, when the synthetic resin substrate (10) is viewed as a plane. Although it is not restricted thereto, the gas removal promoter (12) may be also formed in one direction of the periphery or in four directions of the periphery of the synthetic resin substrate.
Preferably, the gas removal promoter (12) is formed at a periphery positioned in the compression progressing direction during the compression process. The gas removal promoter may not be formed at a periphery in a direction opposite to that of the advancing compression for simplicity of the process.
FIG.5 illustrates a partially enlarged view of a window for display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG5, the gas removal promoter (12) may be cut straightly or curvedly. The size of the gas removal promoter (12) may be selected by the cut of the edge in the numerical scope of 'A' (a length cut at the bonded surface between the synthetic resin substrate and the glass) being in the range of 0.05 ~ 0.085mm and 'B' (a length cut at a sidewall of the synthetic resin substrate) being in the range of 0.05 ~ 0.4mm. As the synthetic resin substrate gets slimmer, the value of 'B' may get relatively smaller.
FIG 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a window for display device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
In this embodiment, a gas removal promoter is available at a position of the glass (30) opposite to that of the gas removal promoter (12) of the synthetic resin substrate. The same construction is applied to where the glass is positioned underneath the synthetic resin substrate (not shown).
Although there is no restriction in the total thickness of the window for display device and the window for display device comprising the manufacturing method of window for display device, it is preferred that the total thickness of the window is in the range of 0.4 ~ 2.0mm, more preferably in the range of 0.5 ~1.5mm. If the thickness of the window is less than the given scopes, the strength becomes weak to be incapable of fully protecting the window against outside shocks. If the thickness of the window is greater than the given scopes, the window cannot desirably satisfy the slimness that is required for the window.
Now, the manufacturing method of window for display device according to the present invention will be described.
The manufacturing method of window for display device comprises: coating a UV- adhesive to a glass (30); positioning a synthetic resin substrate (10) on the UV-adhesive (20) coated glass; passing the synthetic resin substrate (10) through a roll press (50) to gradually press from a first end region of the synthetic resin substrate to a last end region of the synthetic resin substrate and to remove gas; and irradiating UV light to cure the UV-adhesive.
In the manufacturing method of window for display device according to the present invention, the synthetic resin substrate is bonded by UV-adhesive and compressed, and
although there have been strenuous and long attempts to get rid of air bubbles, no satisfactory results have been obtained in the course of the bonding course. However, it was found after strenuous efforts that, when the compression is gradually (not simultaneously) performed by the roll press in the course of compression process, gas was discharged laterally and in the compression direction and effectively removed.
Even in the coating method of the UV-adhesive, when partial coating is performed on part of a bonding region using a dispersion coating unit, the air bubbles are more effectively removed, whereby the shortcoming of the UV-adhesive leaking out during the compression process can be addressed.
Particularly, when the coating amount of the UV-adhesive is decreased along the compression advancing direction, the air bubbles are more effectively removed and the problem of seeping out of the UV-adhesive is further decreased.
Furthermore, when the synthetic resin substrate was partially or entirely cut at an edge where the glass is bonded with a surface and a sidewall of the synthetic resin substrate where the edge is positioned with a gas removal promoter (12), and then the synthetic resin substrate was compressed, it was noticed that the air bubbles were further satisfactorily removed through the gas removal promoter. In doing so, the air bubbles were eliminated without recourse to bonding using reduction-in-pressure and compression methods to thereby increase the productivity.
FIG.7 illustrates a flowchart of a manufacturing method of window for display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. An exemplary window for display device manufactured by the above-mentioned manufacturing method includes the afore-said window but it is not limited thereto. The detailed construction of the window has been already given such that there will no more description hereinafter. For example, the synthetic resin substrate (10) may be formed with the gas removal promoter (12) without any special description, and the glass may be positioned on the top surface or a bottom surface of the synthetic resin substrate. The detailed description thereto will be given as below.
First of all, the glass (30) may be coated with the UV-adhesive (20). The method of coating the UV-adhesive on the glass is not particularly restricted and several coating method known in the art may be employed. It is more preferable that a dispersion coating unit be used to dispersedly coat a part of a region where the synthetic resin
substrate is bonded out of bonded surface of the glass. The dispersion coating unit may be controlled by a controller to control a discharge position and a discharged amount of the adhesive. An outlet of the dispersion coating unit may be single or multiple to desirably save a dispersion coating time.
FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a plan view in which an exemplary method for dispersedly coating UV-adhesive on a glass substrate is shown.
Preferably, the dispersion coating unit is employed for dispersedly coating, not on the entire region but on part of the region as shown in FIG8. More preferably, the amount of dispersed coating of the UV-adhesive is tapered off towards the compression advancing direction as illustrated in FIG.9. In other words, a large amount of UV- adhesive is discharged at a starting tip end of the synthetic resin substrate where the compression commences, and the discharged amount of UV-adhesive is gradually or step-by-step reduced towards the last tip end of the synthetic resin substrate. In doing so, the air bubbles can be more effectively removed, whereby leakage of UV-adhesive can be reduced. Although it is not particularly restricted, it is preferable to adjust the discharged amount of UV-adhesive in such a manner that the thickness of the glass is in the range of 0.005 -0.1 mm after the UV-adhesive is coated.
Next, the UV-adhesive coated glass is positioned by the synthetic resin substrate (10). At this time, no compression is needed. The only thing is to accord the position of the bonded region of the glass with that of the synthetic resin substrate. Although it is not illustrated in the drawings, the compression start distal end of the synthetic resin substrate may be brought into contact with the glass while the last distal end of the synthetic resin substrate is discretely positioned at a predetermined distance. Preferably, the synthetic resin substrate (10) is decorated, and more preferably, at least either the upper surface of the synthetic resin substrate or the bottom surface of the synthetic resin substrate is partially formed with a decoration layer (11). Although it is not restricted, an image display region (1) on the window may not be formed with the decoration layer, or decorated with transparency or opaqueness (semi-transparency) to allow the decoration to be seen when the display device is turned off, or to allow an image to be seen when the display device is turned on.
Successively, the synthetic resin substrate (10) may be allowed to pass through a roll press (50) for being gradually compressed from the starting tip end to the last tip end, whereby the gas can be removed.
FIGlO illustrates a schematic view of processes for compressing and removing gas using a roll press.
Referring to FIGlO, the glass (30) may be fixed to moving means (60) and the synthetic resin substrate may be compressed by the roll press following the afore-mentioned processes. The roll press may gradually compress the synthetic resin substrate from the starting tip end to the last tip end to allow the remaining gas to be discharged and removed via a lateral surface or the distal end of the synthetic resin substrate, whereby the problem of air bubbles can be addressed. The roll press may roll by itself according to its own driving power, or may be automatically rolled by contact with the synthetic resin substrate when the moving means moves. A roll is formed only on the upper surface in the drawing. It is not particularly restricted thereto, but the roll may be formed on the bottom surface too. The use of the roll press enables the next processes to be immediately followed while the moving means is moved to compress and remove the gas, such that the processing time can be shortened beyond comparison compared with that of the conventional method.
Successively, ultraviolet is irradiated to cure the UV-adhesive and to manufacture the window for display device. The UV irradiation is not particularly restricted. For example, the conventional UV irradiation method may be applied. The UV-adhesive that includes photo initiators can expedite the reaction to cure of the UV-adhesive. The UV irradiation time is not particularly restricted. For example, several seconds to several minutes would be appropriate as the synthetic resin substrate is very thin.
FIG.11 is a schematic view for illustrating a manufacturing method of window for display device according to still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, where the glass (30) may be fairly larger than the window shape. In other words, preferably, the glass (30) may be large enough to hold or lay flat the window-shaped synthetic resin substrate (10). The glass may be positioned thereon with the synthetic resin substrates up to as many as the number of windows, which may be then allowed to pass through the aforesaid processes, where the UV-adhesive may be cured, and the glass may be cut to pieces to the mass production of the windows.
Meanwhile, although it is not illustrated in the drawing, still another exemplary embodiment may show a method in which a plurality of window-shaped glasses is positioned on an assembly jig that is moved by moving means to perform each step of
processes, whereby a plurality of windows may be manufactured en masse. The number of glasses accommodated on the assembly jig is not restricted. For example, two to twenty glasses may be desirable.
Preferably, each step in the manufacturing method of window for display device according to the present invention is controlled and programmed by a controller, and windows are moved by moving means to allow each step to be performed by automated processes.
Mass production test results using the above-mentioned methods according to the automated processes has shown that it had averaged less than 30 seconds to manufacture a window for display device, and in some particular cases it took less than 5 seconds to manufacture the window for display device.
The present invention also provides the window for display device or a wireless terminal unit comprising the window for display device manufactured by the manufacturing method for window for display device thus described. The wireless terminal unit is not particularly restricted. For example, any wireless terminal unit disposed with a display device and that requires a window would suffice. The window for display device according to the present invention may be laminated to an external surface of the display device of the wireless terminal unit, or may be coupled to a window joint (which is well known art, so detailed explanation thereto is omitted) of a wireless terminal unit by being discretely disposed at a predetermined distance. Most wireless terminal units used today employ an external display. The external display is sometimes referred to as a CLI (Caller Line Identification) display, and the window according to the instant invention may be desirably used as the window for the external display.
In the foregoing specification, the invention and its benefits and advantages have been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present invention. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the
claims,
[industrial Applicability]
The present invention provides industrially applicable window for display device whereby decoration is easy on a window, and air bubbles can be easily removed during processes where the synthetic resin substrate and glass are UV-adhesive bonded through a particular method to facilitate a mass production of windows in a short period of time.